Healthy Wraps Besides Tortillas

by Melodie Anne Coffman

Opt for pita pockets in place of sliced bread.

Tortillas are not always the healthiest bread option for sandwiches or other meals. Oil or lard are common ingredients in many varieties of tortillas, which increases the calorie and fat content. For example, a 10-inch flour tortilla wrap has more than 215 calories and nearly 5 grams of fat. Corn tortillas are lighter in calories and fat, offering about 160 calories and about 2 grams of fat. Replacing tortillas with other types of foods that make delicious wraps, adds variety to your favorite lunch meal.

Whole-Wheat Pita

Swap tortillas with whole-wheat pitas, which pair well with hot or cold wrap ingredients. Not only are whole-wheat pita pockets low in fat and calories, they are full of beneficial fiber. Half of a large 6 1/2-inch whole-wheat pita provides 85 calories and less than 1 gram of fat. Foods high in fiber help keep you satisfied for an extended period of time, so you are less likely to snack later on in the day. You should get 14 grams of fiber for every 1,000 calories in your diet, which amounts to 28 grams for an average 2,000-calorie diet, according to the Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2010. You get about 2.5 grams of fiber from half a large pita.

Baked Taco Shells

Baked taco shells add crunch and texture to a traditional warm wrap. Pile lean, grilled chicken, lettuce, tomatoes, black olives and a sprinkle of part-skim mozzarella cheese into a baked taco shell instead of a tortilla. A medium-size 5-inch baked taco shell has about 60 calories, 2.5 grams of fat and more than 0.5 gram of fiber. Although baked taco shells do not have as much fiber as whole-wheat pitas, they have less than one-third of the calories and about half the fat of tortilla wraps.

Butterhead Lettuce

Pile your wrap ingredients in a butterhead lettuce leaf. This delicate, buttery lettuce is a carb-free alternative to traditional tortillas. The leaves are large and flexible enough to roll up your wrap like a burrito, or fold in half like a taco. A 2-ounce serving of butterhead lettuce has less than 10 calories, no fat and about 1 gram of fiber. You may also find butterhead lettuce called Boston or bibb lettuce at your local market.

Focaccia Flatbread

Focaccia flatbread can be folded in half like a taco, or rolled up, depending on its thickness. A 3-ounce piece of focaccia flatbread provides about 215 calories, less than 7 grams of fat, more than 7 grams of protein and 1.5 grams of fiber. Focaccia flatbread is traditionally made with olive oil, which ups the fat content, but the fats are good fats. Olive oil is high in monounsaturated fat, a heart-healthy fat that improves your cholesterol levels and lowers your risk of heart disease. Additionally, monounsaturated fats from olive oil help insulin work better, improving blood sugar levels. This is especially important if you have diabetes.

What's your dietary preference?

Gluten Free

Omnivore

Paleo

Vegetarian

Vegan

Which of these foods do you like to eat?

Fruit

Legumes

Meat & Poultry

Fish

Nuts & Seeds

Vegetables

Healthy fats

What kinds of foods would you like to incorporate more in your diet?

Healthy fats

Vegetables

Meat, Poultry & Fish

Grains

Fruits

Which of these fats do you like?

Olive oil

Avocados

Salmon

Olives

Sesame oil

Almonds

Which of these vegetables do you like?

Broccoli

Kale

Carrots

Peppers

Sweet potatoes

Which of these proteins do you like?

Beef

Chicken

Tilapia

Turkey

Eggs

Pork

Which of these grains do you like?

Whole wheat

Brown rice

Oatmeal

Cous Cous

Bulgar

Which of these fruits do you like?

Apples

Bananas

Pears

Kiwis

Oranges

Peaches

Pomegranates

Berries

Which of these foods do you like to eat?

Fish

Nuts

Vegetables

Meat & Poultry

Fruits

These are kinds of fish you can eat on a Paleo diet. Which do you like?

Halibut

Red Snapper

Tilapia

Salmon

These are some nuts you can eat on a Paleo diet. Which do you like?

Almonds

Cashews

Pistacios

Walnuts

These are some vegetables you can eat on a Paleo diet. Which do you like?

Broccoli

Peppers

Kale

Carrots

Lettuce

Cabbage

These are some proteins you can eat on a Paleo diet. Which do you like?

About the Author

Melodie Anne Coffman has been writing for various online and print publications since 1996, specializing in human and animal nutrition. After receiving her master's degree in food science and human nutrition, she opened up her own nutrition consulting business in the New England area.

Photo Credits

Have Feedback?

Thank you for providing feedback to our Editorial staff on this article. Please fill in the following information so we can alert the Healthy Eating editorial team about a factual or typographical error in this story. All Fields are required.